Cyprus Birding Tours

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Category Archives: Birding


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Migrants in Nicosia this morning, 11th April 2014

A quick visit to Manglis Lake, Lakatameia, on the outskirts of Nicosia, this morning. Two Wood Warbler were seen and then heard singing in the eucalyptus trees. A Lesser Whitethroat and Tree Pipit were present. Many Common Swift, House Martin and Barn Swallow were feeding on the insects on the lake’s surface. A Squacco Heron was perched on a waterside tamarisk bush and a Common Sandpiper was feeding on the edge.

Throughout the island there are many migrants being seen. Ruppell’s, Subalpine, Eastern Bonelli’s and Eastern Orphean Warbler are around in good numbers this spring. Wood and Willow Warbler are now passing through. Numbers of Isabelline and Northern Wheatear have fallen as we move into April but Eastern Black-eared Wheatear are still being seen. Collared, Pied and the occasional Semi-collared Flycatcher are around and the first Spotted Flycatcher was seen on Wednesday.

Lesser Kestrel, Roller and European Bee-eater are starting to be seen and Pallid and Montagu’s Harrier have been reported. An Osprey was over Germasogeia on Wednesday as were two Stock Dove. The first Little Tern was at Larnaca Sewage Works on Monday with Gull-billed Tern also recorded. Marsh Sandpiper and Common Greenshank have been seen on wetlands that hold water.

A Spotted Crake has been at Germasogeia for a week and a female Little Crake was there on Wednesday. A Baillon’s Crake was seen at Phassouri over the weekend.


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Larnaca area this morning, 5th April 2014

Did some leisurely birding around Larnaca this morning. Not a lot around the Sewage Works side of the Salt Lake, which is virtually dry, though did find a Greater Sand Plover, two Eurasian Stone Curlew, a Masked Shrike and a Common Nightingale in the area as well as three Ferruginous Duck, eighty Black-winged Stilt and over fifty Slender-billed Gull on the Sewage Pools. A female Pallid Harrier and second calendar year male Western Marsh Harrier were migrating over.

Petounta Point was also almost dry. I had another migrating Marsh Harrier as well as a Eurasian Hoopoe, a flava Yellow Wagtail and several Isabelline, Northern and Black-eared Wheatear. I decided to go to Kivisilli fields on the spur of the moment and was glad I did. A female Marsh Harrier was resting on a recently harvested field and a male Pallid Harrier flew over as soon as I drove in. Heading inland I saw several Kestrels around – most of those though were Common. Around 12.15pm a small group of birds gaining height caught my eye – at least ten Lesser Kestrel were in the group together with three female Pallid Harrier, another two female Marsh Harrier and best of all an immature Lesser Spotted Eagle. Was lucky to be in the right place at the right time. In the distance more Kestrels could be seen but it was now too hazy to tell if they were Common or Lesser.

Also in the fields were at least fifteen Greater Short-toed Lark, an Isabelline Wheatear, two Tree Pipit and two Tawny Pipit, a Hoopoe, a Masked Shrike and a Common Nightingale.

Greater Sand Plover Meneou Pool April 5th 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Greater Sand Plover Meneou Pool April 5th 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Cape Greco today, 2nd April 2014

Plenty of migrants today at Cape Greco and even my raptor count produced raptors – a European Hobby, a Peregrine Falcon, a female Hen Harrier and at least five Pallid Harrier – two female and three (maybe four) males. Every bush seemed to have something in it and the sound of singing Common Nightingale could be heard throughout the area.

Species around included – Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, Ruppell’s Warbler, Eastern Orphean Warbler, Tree and Tawny Pipit, Isabelline, Northern, Eastern Black-eared and Cyprus Wheatear, Cyprus and Spectacled Warbler, Masked Shrike, Common Cuckoo, thunbergi Yellow Wagtail, Eurasian Hoopoe, Cretzschmar’s and Ortolan Bunting, Wryneck, Whinchat, Common Redstart, Blue Rock Thrush, Masked Shrike, Black-crowned Night Heron and Pied Flycatcher.


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Migrants passing through Nicosia this morning, 27th March 2014

It was good to see both a Yellow Wagtail (feldegg race) and a Cretzschmar’s Bunting on a long-over due visit to my local patch in Nicosia this morning. Also on Manglis Lake were a couple of Little Grebe, a single Coot and a Little Grebe. Several Common Swift were flying over and coming down to drink from the water’s surface and Barn Swallow and House Martin were collecting mud from the water’s edge. A Black Francolin was calling and a male Serin was singing from a tamarisk bush.


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Limassol this afternoon, 26th March 2014

A quick visit to Limassol this afternoon with quality birds seen rather than a large quantity! Got excellent views of the White-throated Kingfisher in a garden behind the channel opposite the port. Although not close enough for a photo it sat for at least twenty minutes while I watched through binoculars.

Had earlier visited the Debenhams area of the town for another look at the Laughing Dove there so felt a bit cheated when one flew out of the Port in front of me while I was looking at the kingfisher! They seem to be getting well established in Limassol now.

There were two male and a female Citrine Wagtail on Zakaki Marsh. There were also several Wood Sandpiper, Common Snipe and Yellow Wagtail. A brief visitor was an adult Baltic Gull which flew in for a few minutes.


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Some Interesting Migrants around Larnaca this morning 20th March 2014

A quick drive around Meneou and Petounta this morning produced four male Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, two Greater Sand Plover and a Whimbrel on the Airport Coast and a Common Redstart of the samamisicus race at Petounta where there was also three Eurasian Hoopoe, several Isabelline and Northern Wheatear, a Tawny Pipit, a Little Ringed Plover, Common Snipe and a Water Pipit changing into its breeding plumage.

Whimbrel Larnaca Airport Coast March 20th 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Whimbrel Larnaca Airport Coast March 20th 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eurasian Hoopoe Petounta Point March 20th 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eurasian Hoopoe Petounta Point March 20th 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common (Ehrenberg's) Redstart, Petounta Point March 20th 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common (Ehrenberg’s) Redstart, Petounta Point March 20th 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Cape Greco and Oroklini today, 17th March 2014

Luckily the dust cleared at Cape Greco early on this morning and although again there was little evidence of the raptor migration I was looking for there was a noticeable movement of gulls offshore as well as a good collection of spring migrants and evidence that the breeding season is now underway.

A Peregrine Falcon was in the area and a female Marsh Harrier was resting on the ground near the Sea Caves in the afternoon. Nearly two hundred Yellow-legged Gull passed round the Cape during a four hour watch in the morning and there were five Lesser Black-backed Gull in with them – three Heuglin’s or Siberian Gull and two Baltic Gull. For five minutes a Common Cuckoo was calling across the area and two Cyprus Wheatear were singing on their territories as were three Cyprus Warbler and several Spectacled Warbler. I saw a male Spectacled Warbler taking food into a bush – presumably feeding young. House Sparrows were mating, flying around with nesting material and also carrying food.

I came across seventeen Northern Wheatear, fourteen Isabelline Wheatear and twelve Eurasian Hoopoe (six were together on a track). Also seen were four Cretzschmar’s Bunting, a Common Whitethroat, six Lesser Whitethroat, a Great Spotted Cuckoo, three male Blue Rock Thrush and a female Finsch’s Wheatear.

At Oroklini on my way home there were two Baltic Gull on the water and twelve Greater Flamingo. Three Black-tailed Godwit are still present and two male Red-crested Pochard were out in the open looking very smart. At least twenty Black-winged Stilt are now in the area and both Sedge Warbler and Reed Warbler were singing around the new observation platform. A surprise was a Glossy Ibis that flew in just as I was about to leave.

Cyprus Warbler Cape Greco 17th March 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Cyprus Warbler Cape Greco 17th March 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Goldfinch Cape Greco 17th March 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Goldfinch Cape Greco 17th March 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Great Spotted Cuckoo Cape Greco 17th March 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Great Spotted Cuckoo Cape Greco 17th March 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Waterbird count around Larnaca 13th March 2014

Another rainy day although I managed to get the waterbird count done without getting wet. The numbers of Northern Shoveler, Teal, Mallard, Little Grebe and Coot were much lower with just over three hundred Shoveler and less than a hundred each of the others. There were no gulls on the Sewage Pools but there was a male Garganey, a male Northern Pintail, two Ferruginous Duck and a single Black-necked Grebe in breeding plumage. Eight Spur-winged Lapwing were around the edge and two were mating. The best birds at the Sewage Works though were not on the water – a male Subalpine Warbler and a Common Whitethroat were in the bushes in front of the hide together with some singing male Spectacled Warbler and several Red-throated Pipit flying around.

After a tip off from another birder I checked the Desalination fields for four Whimbrel he had seen there. I located them along the coast near the airport perimeter fence but they flew off eastwards as a patrol car drove close to them. A female Northern Wheatear was looking very bedraggled and several Kentish Plover were on the beach.

A surprise awaited me on the main Salt Lake – there were just under a thousand Greater Flamingo present – in February I had found just 69. There are still around 200 Common Shelduck present and over seven hundred Common Black-headed Gull were on the water. Also on the water were over 250 Slender-billed Gull – nearly all adults with a pinkish tinge and looking very smart. On the east side of the lake there was a Heuglin’s Gull as well as tens of Dunlin, Kentish Plover and Little Stint feeding on the mud. In the reeds I saw at least four Reed Bunting and the same number of Reed Warbler. As the clouds got lower and darker many Common Swift, Barn Swallow and House Martin flew into the area together with at least ten Red-rumped Swallow.

After the rain cleared I went to Kiti Dam which also had a good number of Swifts and Swallows as well as two Green Sandpiper. But again it was a warbler that was the best bird. There was an Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler calling from the trees and it took me some time to finally see it. One of my favourite birds!

Greater Flamingo Larnaca Salt Lake March 13th 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Greater Flamingo Larnaca Salt Lake March 13th 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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More early migrants at Cape Greco this morning 10th March 2014

At Cape Greco again for the raptor count.  A familiar spring sound as I parked my car was a singing male Cyprus Wheatear. As the morning went on the wind became stronger and again there were no large raptors around. The resident Common Kestrel chased off a Peregrine Falcon and a flock of 70 Common Shelduck flew from the east and headed north east around the cape. There was a Lesser Whitethroat in the bushes around the view point and two Red-rumped Swallow flew in off the sea.

A drive around the area later produced two Woodchat Shrike, a male Masked Shrike, three Northern Wheatear, at least six Isabelline Wheatear , a European Robin, two male Blue Rock Thrush and four Tawny Pipit.

A quick stop at Oroklini, where another Peregrine Falcon was seen.  This time he was doing the chasing, although the Barn Swallows quickly got out of his way. On the water there were two male and a female Red-crested Pochard, a male Northern Pintail and plenty of Northern Shoveler, Black-headed Gull, several Common Teal and lots of Common Coot. Eleven Greataer Flamingo and the same number of Black-winged Stilt were there, as was a single Water Pipit and the Black-tailed Godwit that has been present since last week.


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Desert Wheatears, Paphos area 7th March 2014

Found two male Desert Wheatears in the Paphos area yesterday. One was at Mandria and had been present for a few days. The other was at Paphos Headland.

Desert Wheatear Paphos Headland 7th March 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Desert Wheatear Paphos Headland 7th March 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Desert Wheatear Mandria, 7th March 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Desert Wheatear Mandria, 7th March 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Some early spring migrants seen over the last two days, 4th & 5th March 2014

Was really pleased to find a male Desert Wheatear at Petounta yesterday afternoon. Others had been seen at Paphos Headland and Akrotiri Gravel Pits over the last few days. There was also a single Greater Short-toed Lark there as well as two Isabelline Wheatear, four Little Ringed Plover, two Water Pipit, a Hoopoe and a male Black-headed Wagtail.  Earlier, near the Desalination Plant at Larnaca there were four Hoopoe feeding together and on Spiros Pool there were two Greater Sand Plover and more than twenty Ruff. Three Sandwich Tern were fishing offshore and a Calandra Lark was in display flight.

Today I was at Cape Greco for my first raptor survey of the spring. No migrating raptors to count but the local Common Kestrel pair were very active and the House Sparrows around the shelter on the top of the view point were happily mating and ignoring me. If it hadn’t been for some migrating Black-headed Gulls and Great Cormorant I could have thought it was a waste of a morning.

Luckily I decided to drive around the area when I finished and was then really pleased to see a male Ruppell’s Warbler and locate a calling Cretzschmar’s Bunting that looked as if it had just come in off the sea. There was a dark-throated female Finsch’s Wheatear nearby and three Greater Short-toed Lark. Plenty of Isabelline Wheatear as well and a single male Northern Wheatear.  Another warbler disappearing into a bush could have been a Subalpine Warbler but I didn’t get a good enough view to be certain. I later heard that one had been seen at Mandria today.

On Oroklini Beach on the way home there were two Mediterreanean Gull, three Sandwich Tern and an adult Armenian Gull in with the Black-headed Gull. No Little Gull on the Marsh but there was a Black-tailed Godwit, a Common Redshank, some Spur-winged Lapwing and three Black-winged Stilt.

Cretzschmar's Bunting Cape Greco 5th March 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Cretzschmar’s Bunting Cape Greco 5th March 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Desert Wheatear Petounta 4th March 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Desert Wheatear Petounta 4th March 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours